Dr. Guorong Zhang Shares Wheat Breeding Journey and Innovations on ‘Wheat’s On Your Mind’ Podcast
Dr. Guorong Zhang, wheat breeder at Kansas State University, shared his journey from a small farm in China to leading K-State’s wheat program on the “Wheat’s On Your Mind” podcast. His breeding focuses on developing resilient, high-yielding wheat varieties like Joe, KS Dallas, and KS Bill Snyder, emphasizing disease resistance, drought tolerance, and quality.
Dr. Guorong Zhang, a wheat breeder at Kansas State University, shares his breeding philosophy and career journey on the Wheat’s On Your Mind podcast. From his beginnings on a small farm in China to leading K-State’s wheat program, Zhang’s expertise focuses on developing strong, resilient wheat varieties for Kansas growers.
“At the beginning, yield was my main focus,” Zhang said. “Farmers need high-yielding varieties to be profitable. Over time, I added more objectives—disease resistance, drought tolerance, and quality.”
Dr. Zhang’s wheat breeding program has produced popular varieties like Joe, KS Dallas, and KS Bill Snyder, known for strong yields and adaptability. After a 2021 hailstorm destroyed 80% of his trial plots, Zhang focused more on breeding for resilience. Field testing at eight locations helps refine breeding goals based on real-world conditions.
“The western Kansas variety has strong resistance to Triticum mosaic virus and wheat streak mosaic virus, as well as improved drought tolerance,” Zhang said of two new releases expected this year. “The central Kansas variety has exceptional yield potential and strong disease resistance.”
Dr. Zhang’s program has developed popular wheat varieties like Joe, KS Dallas, and KS Bill Snyder, known for strong yields and adaptability. After a 2021 hailstorm destroyed 80% of his trial plots, Zhang has focused on improving drought tolerance and breeding for resilience against environmental and disease-related challenges.
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Source : KCLY Radio
